COUNTY Durham youngsters are being urged to say whether they believe the voting age should be lowered.

Durham County Council wants the county's youth to help make it respond to a national consultation on the issue.

The Electoral Commission wants to find out what people think of the current law that restricts voting to the over-18s and sets the minimum age for becoming a councillor or MP at 21.

The Labour-run authority, which is predominantly made up of middle-aged and elderly councillors, has set up a working group that has already recommended that the age of candidacy be reduced to 18 but that the voting age remain at 18.

Council leader Ken Manton said 16-year-olds could have sex, marry and have children, pay tax and national insurance, but could not vote.

"What we want to know is, what do young people think about it all.

"They are the ones that matter and we as a council can't make our views known to the Electoral Commission until we know the views of our young people.

"This is an issue the council takes extremely seriously and we would like to see a sustained and serious debate across the region in the run up to the Electoral Commission deadline."

He said that there would be a free vote on the issue, the first time it has happened in the history of the county council.

The council said that it, like the Government, is concerned at young people's apathy to voting.

Youngsters have been invited to discuss the issue at a special council meeting on October 28.

Details of the Electoral Commission consultation document, How Old is Old Enough, are on its website at www.electoralcommission.org.uk and on the council website at www.durham.gov.uk